The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Ice fishing tip-up devices in general are well known in the art and have heretofore incorporated a wide variety of different methods of alerting to the occurrence of a fish bite. Such devices usually incorporate some form of mechanical tip-up flag signal, and/or incorporate additional or alternative lighting or audible signaling mechanisms for alerting to the occurrence of a fish bite. However, most conventional ice fishing signaling devices suffer from the inherent problem that they provide little of no information as to the relative size or strength of the fish striking the bait, or whether the fish has actually taken the bait and become hooked.
It is a common occurrence for a fish to make an initial strike or nibble at a baited hook without fully taking the bait and becoming hooked. Upon such an event, conventional tip-up signaling devices, such as mechanical tip-up flag devices, are usually tripped, alerting the fisherman to the occurrence of a fish bite. Once the flag is released, however, the fisherman receives no additional information to indicate whether the fish has been hooked, or any information as to the potential size or strength of the fish that struck the bait. Consequently, the fisherman is left with no choice but to go check the bait and reset the signaling device.
Even with signaling devices offering added lighting and/or audible signals, such devices are typically coupled to the mechanical tip-up flag signal and actuated simultaneously therewith; accordingly, they offer no additional benefit to the fisherman. While other audible or electric lighting devices are available that operate independently of any mechanical tip-up signaling device, such devices are still incapable of providing the fisherman with any useful information as to the potential size or strength of the fish being hooked or striking the bait.
Such conventional signaling devices are also frequently subject to false alarms caused by wind and/or vibration. Once triggered, the fisherman has no sense as to the urgency required to tend the fishing line, as there is no clear indication that a fish has been hooked, or if hooked, how significant is the size or strength of the fish. Thus, the fisherman must repeatedly check and reset the signaling device, oftentimes in temperatures and wind conditions making such activity extremely tedious and unpleasant.
As temperatures drop, ice formation in the fishing hole also becomes problematic. Also, problems oftentimes occur with the working elements of such conventional signaling devices that are exposed to such weather conditions. Consequently, in addition to checking and resetting the signaling device, the fisherman must periodically clear ice and snow from the signaling device and fishing hole to prevent freeze-up. This is not only a nuisance to the fisherman, but it frequently results in disturbance of the fishing line, and the abrupt movement of the water caused by clearing the ice from the hole results in fish being scared away.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved ice fishing signaling apparatus which alerts a fisherman of the occurrence of a hooked fish and provides information as to the relative size and/or strength of the hooked fish.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ice fishing signaling apparatus which provides multiple alert mechanisms for signaling a fisherman of the occurrence of a fish bite; the occurrence of a hooked fish; and an indication of the relative size and/or strength of the hooked fish.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved ice fishing signaling apparatus having a hooked fish indicator that provides relative fish size and/or strength information, the working elements of which are protected from snow and ice freeze-up within a protective housing.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved ice fishing signaling apparatus that incorporates means for maintaining the fishing hole clear of ice without the need for repeated disturbance of the fishing line and signaling device while removing ice from the hole.